You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:2-3 NIV).

It is difficult for human beings to learn how to pray with the right motives. We are often selfish in what we ask God to do for us without even realizing it. Thankfully, God usually does not give us what we ask for when our motivation is self-centered. He loves us enough to say “no” to us.

Prayer should not be about getting things in order to enhance our quality of life. Prayer should be first about worshipping God, thanking Him for what He has done for us, confessing our sins, and asking God to help other people. Our own needs should be one of the last things that we prayer for.